Toothpick dispenser



March 14,- 1950 w. G. DLU-GAS' TOOTHPICK DISPENSER Filed Sept. 59, 19485 ON I] D G. h I Q 3 I! a y B 4 22 2v 8 MGM A u 8 6 4 4% &2 .m F

Patented Mar. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE-1;.

TOOTHPICK DISPENSER Walt er; d m ges, HuntingtonPark, Calif;

Application September 30, 1948', Serial N0.51-',9'65

1 This; invention relates. to new and useful improvements'and.structural. refinements in dispenserssfor'toothpicks, and the principalobject of the invention is to facilitate individual dispensing oftoothpicks' in amanner which prevents a toothpick. from being reinsertedin the dispenser after it. is. withdrawn therefrom.

By virtue. of this arrangement, the instant dispenser is of a highlysanitary nature; and another feature; of the invention resides in itsability to releasably retain a toothpick in an outwardly projectingposition'after the dispenser has been inverted, so that the projectingtoothpick may be conveniently grasped and withdrawn in readiness foruse.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside inits simplicity ofconstruction, convenience of: operation, and in its adaptability toeconomical manufacture.

With-the above more important objects and features in view, and suchother objects and features as may become apparent as this specificationproceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement andconstruction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention, the same being shown inan inverted dispensing position;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view, taken substantially in the plane oflines 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional View, taken substantially in the plane ofthe line 33 in Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a plan view of the dispensing cap used in the invention, thesame being taken in the direction of the'arrow 4 in Figure 2.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in thespecification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the inventionconsists of a toothpick dispenser designated generally by the referencecharacter Ill, the same embodying in its construction a suitable,preferably transparent, receptacle if! provided with a screw-threadedmouth portion I 4 to removably receive a dis pensing cap designatedgenerally by the reference character IS.

The essence of novelty of the invention resides in the structuralarrangement of the cap I6, the same preferably assuming the form of adome-shaped body formed at the center thereof with a toothpick outletopening l8, the cap body It being suitably screw-threaded to facili- 2clai s. (01312-43) 2 tate removable mounting. thereof on thescrewthreaded mouth portion 14 of the" receptacle 52, substantially asshown.

A pair of protuberances 2!! are formed integrally at thediametricallyopposite-sides of the cap bodyili, these protuberances being formed withwhat may be referred to. as recesses or pockets 22, best shown in Figure2, in which are securely anchored outwardly angulated end portions 24-of apair of resilient. check straps 26.

; Thesestrapsextendradially with respect to the opening 18- in the'cap"I6 and have their innerend portionsoverlapped as. indicated at 28 inFigures 1. and 2.

The overlapped inner end portions of the straps2fi= are formed withsubstantially semicircular notches which, by virtue of the'overlappedrelationship of these straps, coact together in defining what may becalled an aperture 35' (seeFigures 3and'4).

The straps 26 normallyrest upon the cap body. I6, and it is to be notedthat when the straps are so disposed, the opening 30 is substantiallysmaller in diameter than the opening 28, the purpose of whicharrangement will be hereinafter more fully described.

When the invention is placed in use, toothpicks, preferably those of acircular cross-sectional configuration, may be placed in the receptacleas indicated at 32 in Figures 1 and 2, this, of course, being effectedby removing the cap Hi from the receptacle so that the toothpicksmay beinserted in the latter.

Thereupon, the cap I6 is applied to the receptacle and when it isdesired to dispense a toothpick, the entire device is inverted so thatone of the toothpicks 32 (by virtue of the dome-shaped configuration ofthe cap IE) will fall into the opening It and will project outwardlyfrom the dispenser through the aperture 3!]. It should be understoodthat the aperture 3!) is normally smallor in diameter than thetoothpick, so that the toothpick will be effectively retained by thestraps 26 in a projecting position and in readiness for withdrawal anduse, as indicated at 34 in Figure 1. I

The projecting toothpick may be readily and conveniently withdrawn fromthe dispenser in the direction of the arrow 36 in Figure 1, during whichaction the straps 26, being in frictional engagement with the projectingtoothpick, will be caused to yield outwardly as indicated at 38 inFigure 2, so that the aperture 3!] will be substantially enlarged tofacilitate outward passage of the toothpick therethrough. As will beclearly apparent, the toothpicks are usually provided with tapered endportions, which feature renders them readily adaptable for use inassociation with the instant device.

Needlessto say, while the straps 2B are sprung outwardly in order tofacilitate passage of a toothpick through the aperture 30, the strapswill become disengaged from the cap body IE but, by virtue of theirinherent resiliency, they will automatically return to their initialpositions in contact with the cap body, as soon as the toothpick iswithdrawn.

In any event, it is to be particularly noted that after a toothpick iswithdrawn through the open-,

ope'ning 3t and engaging the cap l6 cannot be sprung inwardly, Whileoutward springing thereof will not be encouraged by an attempt toreinsert the toothpicks, so that the relatively small aperture 39 willeffectively prevent reinsertion f the toothpicks into the receptacle [2,as will be clear- 1y apparent.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will beclearly understood from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly,further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferredembodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changesin thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts may be resortedto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asclaimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a toothpick dispenser, the combination of a receptacle, a cappositioned thereon and provided with a dispensingvopening, and a pair ofresilient straps having outer ends secured to said cap and extendingradially toward said opening, inner end portions of said straps beingoverlapped and formed with notches coacting to form an aperture inregister with and of a smaller diameter than said opening and smallerthan the thickness of the toothpick which is to be dispensed, saidstraps normally resting on said cap but being yieldable in response tooutward pulling of a toothpick through said opening whereby theoverlapped end portions thereof tend to separate and enlarge saidaperture to facilitate outward passage of the toothpick therethrough.

2. A toothpick dispensing cap adapted to be mounted on a receptacle andcomprising a domeshaped shell provided at the center thereof with adispensing opening, a pair of pockets provided exteriorly atdiametrically opposite sides of said shell adjacent the marginal edge ofthe latter, and a pair of resilient straps disposed exteriorly of theshell and each having an angulated end portion secured in one of saidpockets, free end portions of said straps being overlapped and providedin end edges thereof with coacting notches defining a toothpickreceiving aperture in register with said opening, said aperture beingsmaller than the opening when at least one of the straps abuts the outersurface of the shell but being expansible by a movement of the strapsaway from said surface.

WALTER G. DLUGAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,039,756 Kirkpatrick Oct. 1,1912 1,569,061 Young Jan. 12, 1926 1,696,080 Draggie Dec. 18, 19281,720,297 Schiifer July 9, 1929

